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ALAMOGORDO – The Alamogordo Police Department continues their investigation of the Otero County Fallen Officer Memorial being vandalized, an APD spokesman said.

The vandals caused between $2,500 and $3,000 in damage to the Fallen Officers Memorial on 10th Street between Michigan and Indiana avenues.

APD detective Kyle Graham said APD detectives learned through investigation that the incident happened sometime between early Monday morning and early Tuesday morning.

Graham said detectives are not sure why the memorial was vandalized.

“Obviously, they aren’t happy with this memorial,” he said. “You don’t see this every day. This memorial has been up for years. This is the first big damage that has happened to the memorial.”

All 10 plaques honoring fallen officers at the Otero County Fallen Officer Memorial will have to be replaced because a suspect or suspects damaged them Monday or Tuesday morning.(Photo: Courtesy Photo/OCLEAC)

Graham said a reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest or indictment of the subject or subjects responsible for the damage to the memorial.

“They’re rewards being offered,” Graham said. “Crime Stoppers will pays anywhere up to a $1,000 for the indictment or arrest of subject or subjects involved. There’s also an additional $600 reward money being offered for anyone who has information that involves an arrest or grand jury indictment. We want to encourage the public if they’ve noticed anything suspicious or anybody that appeared to be damaging the property to contact us and let us know so we can follow up on the led.”

Otero County Fallen Officer Memorial Chairman Irene Mirabal-Counts said she wants residents to know that the memorial is all about the officers who have given the ultimate sacrifice.

“This (memorial) is about coming out of love,” Mirabal-Counts said. “It’s about the police officers. We have board members. It’s not about us. It is a shame, 10 years of work. It’s not the work. It’s what they’ve done to the officers and their families.”

She said all 10 plaques honoring fallen officers who gave the ultimate sacrifice were damaged and have to be replaced.

Officer Clint Corvinus' plaque was one of ten plaques vandalized at the Otero County Fallen Officer Memorial sometime between Monday and Tuesday morning.(Photo: Courtesy Photo/OCLEAC)

Otero County Law Enforcement Appreciation Committee Chairman Rocky Galassini said she is shocked about the vandalism.

“The Otero County Law Enforcement Appreciation Committee is offering a $500 reward for the arrest and conviction of whoever did this,” Galassini said. “All the plaques are destroyed. They have to be replaced. I am horrified that someone would damage the police memorial. This is in honor of our fallen. They and their families have endured so much already. For someone to come and destroy this memorial, it’s beyond belief. It’s to honor people who have given the ultimate sacrifice.”

Anyone wishing to donate to help restore the Otero County Fallen Officers Memorial, they can make their donation to the Fallen Officers Memorial Corporation account at First National Bank, 414 E. 10th St.

Anyone who has information about about the vandalism of the Memorial, can contact the Alamogordo Police Department at 439-4300 or call the Otero County Crime Stoppers at 434-7812.